Legend of the Seisai
by Guardian Writer
Summary: We have watched Tsukasa create a new legend, but what about the original legend. Who was the Kage no Seisai? This is her story. HAITUS see inside for details.
1. Noncandidates

Tokyo Crazy Paradise Fanfiction

Title: Legend of the Seisai

Genre: General/Tragedy

Rated: T (Rating might increase)

Character: Ayabe Wakasa

Disclaimer: Tokyo Crazy Paradise belongs to the one and only Yoshiki Nakamura. I assure you that I take no profit from this enterprise. -

Author's Note: Hey everyone, here's my first TCP fic! To be honest, this idea came to me only when I realized how few TCP fics there are. I mean…there are so many things that can be done here. I personally was not thrilled with Tsukasa's eventual accepting of Wakasa. I mean, we know Wakasa could have been an amazing mom! Anyway, that spurred this idea. How did the Kage no Seisai come to be?

Chapter 1: Non-candidates

_The first time I saw someone die, I was four. The "someone" in question was my best friend, Tomoyo. We were coming home from school when a man grabbed us from behind. Before I could think, we were dragged into an alley; I was shoved against the side of a building and bit my tongue from the force of the impact. At the sound of tearing cloth and the feel of the air against my exposed body, I scrunched my eyes closed, too scared to fight against my assaulter. Beyond the pain of his grip and the friction of my body against the brick, the sound of Tomoyo's screaming reached me. She was hollering as I had never heard her do so before…as I would never hear her do so again. Suddenly the man dropped me to the ground and turned on my friend. A new pitch to her scream opened my eyes. The man was trying to tie her down. As he wrapped a cloth around her mouth, I saw tears run down Tomoyo's face. I snapped and my body moved. A stone was in my hand and I was beating the man's back. Tomoyo's muffled screams and the sound of the man's shouts filled my ears. Finally the man fell back and I rushed to Tomoyo's side. Just as I pulled the cloth off her mouth, Tomoyo pushed me away. As I fell back against the wall, she flashed me with one last smile before the bullet exploded into her chest. She fell back with a frozen smile, and her head hit the pavement. _

* * *

"This is Rumi; you two will be playmates."

A girl stood before me; rather, she peaked out from behind her caretakers legs. I blinked before turning to my mother.

"Why?"  
Her hand descended upon me, making my head spin as her voice growled.

"Wakasa! Don't question me!"

My eyes swiveled to the ground and I batted them against the tears. There was no point in asking. I was here because I was a failure. My cheek swelled painfully. Stubbornly looking down, I heard my mother hiss in frustration before stalking out of the room. The caretaker looked between the two of us before following my mother out. Just as the door slammed shut, the girl approached me. She had auburn hair and pale freckled skin. What was her name again? She was still moving forward and I yelled.

"Don't come any closer!"

She stopped in front of me, just reaching my nose, and eyed me curiously with large hazel eyes before a smile split her face. I blinked. Didn't she get it? I didn't want to associate with another failure. From her pocket, the girl pulled a small strip and held it out to me.

"My name is Rumi; you should use this."

That was her name, Rumi. I leaned closer to inspect the strip; it was a Band-Aid with pink and purple dots. It was the most absurd thing I had ever seen. I looked at her.

"Stupid, Band-Aids are only for when there is blood. Do I look like I'm bleeding?"

Rumi kept smiling, her eyes sparkling as she answered.

"But if you put this on, when you are hurt, you will think about the Band-Aid."

"How will that help?"  
"I like pink; so when I think of these Band-Aids, I feel happy."

"…what do you mean?"

"What's your favorite color?"

"I don't have one."

"Everyone has one; think."

I sighed and thought.

"Purple."

Rumi's smile widened.

"What?"

"There are purple dots on the Band-Aids."

I looked at it; there were purple dots. Shoot. I wordlessly took the Band-Aid. I had lost the match, so I would wear the silly thing. I pealed off the tabbed and stuck it to my face. Rumi beamed. I smiled too. I couldn't help it. She was cute when she smiled.

* * *

I should have seen it coming. I didn't even have a proper excuse.

"But Mom, you told me to get along with her."

My mother snarled.

"Get out of my sight, and don't ever bring an atrocity such as this into this house again!"

I bolted, fleeing to the safety of the stairwell as my mother started ranting.

"What the hell is wrong with that child?"

"Just be grateful she didn't bring home a doll or a dress."

_Dad…_I strained to hear the conversation from the shadows. Dad hadn't been home in a week, but instead of a warm welcome, my mother rounded on him.

"I won't here any of this from you! She was supposed to be the seisai candidate, and look what she's becoming!"

The click of a lighter reached my ears and the room was silent for the moment Father lit his cigarette. Father never lost his temper like mother did.

"Don't punish her for something that will never happen."

I flinched; this was worse than mother's reprimands. _Is there no hope for me? Can't I still be useful to our family?_ But inside I knew it was pointless. Without the seisai position our branch would fall out of favor. My mother's cousin was the current seisai and showered us with gifts, but that was no secret, a new seisai not from our family would likely turn on us. Holding back my sobs, I rushed to my room. A tear ran down my cheek and I gritted my teeth as it found the sore skin where my mother had ripped the Band-Aid from my face. I winced when the pain increased.

Turning to the mirror beside the bed, I paled. _What…?_ Something red and warm crept over the raw skin. _Mother's nails must have scratched me, so this is…_ Before I could finish the thought, I saw it – Tomoyo, covered in red, staring at me from the mirror. The red leaked from her mouth and flowed freely from her stomach. My eyes wouldn't move and my voice was caught in my throat. Then her eyes went blank and she smiled…that same frozen smile. My voice broke free, and I screamed into the night.

* * *

My eyes flickered open to a white ceiling. Blinking, I tried to turn on my side when a firm hand clamped onto my shoulder. Looking up, I met my father's empty gaze. I inhaled sharply as the events before my blackout came back. I nashed my teeth and turned away from my father. _Why did it happen again? I'm such a failure!_

"Wakasa."

I froze at my father's cold voice.

"Wakasa, this is the third time this has happened."

I didn't speak; I didn't even breathe.

"You have to come to terms with Tomoyo's death."

My fingers fisted around the sheets and I closed my eyes. Death was all around the Gokudo. If I couldn't get over one death, how would I ever survive? Above me, father sighed.

"Wakasa, I don't blame you. Seeing your best friend die is hard, and you were only four, but you need to move forward. Didn't you and Tomoyo used to brag about how you would bring Hougogumi to the front of the yakuza world?"

I sniffed and new tears blurred my vision, but I couldn't respond. _Tomoyo…_ After a long while, my father rose and left the room. I didn't do anything, and after a long while, I closed my eyes and welcomed the darkness.

* * *

…So what did you think? Like it? Hate it? Please let me know by clicking the little purple button.

Until next time,

guardianwriter


	2. Schoolmates

Title: Legend of the Seisai

Genre: General/Tragedy

Rated: T

Character: Ayabe Wakasa

Disclaimer: Tokyo Crazy Paradise belongs to the one and only Yoshiki Nakamura. I assure you that I take no profit from this enterprise. ^-^

Author's Note: Hi everyone. I'm back! If nobody noticed, I used the exact same Disclaimer as in chapter 1 (I'm lazy like that).

I'm really sorry for the wait, but the way my schedule is working out, I'm probably only going to update once every two weeks.

Anyway, I have a question. What is Shiki's mother's name? (Shiki's mother referring to the "official" seisai)

REQUEST: I am writing in a child's POV for the first time. I am trying to dumb down the language so it sounds more like a six year old so I can show Wakasa's development. Any and all comments to aid me in this endeavor will be worth their weight in platinum. (at least to me) ^-^

Enjoy.

Chapter 2: Schoolmates

With a yawn I climbed the stairs to the classroom. Nobody whispered about me anymore, but they still didn't come near me. _Well, at least they think I'm a strong yakuza…_ Entering the room, I dropped my bag on the desk and flopped into my chair. The homeroom teacher wasn't in the room yet, so I lay my head upon the desk and closed my eyes. If I fell asleep, it wouldn't matter. No one bothered to wake me up every other time I dozed off.

Soon, my other classmates filled the room, chatting excitedly about their weekends. Then the door slid open and they raced into their seats. I opened my eyes as whispers broke out. Our teacher was smiling.

"Class, we have a transfer student, Takarada Rumi. Please welcome her."

From my position on my desk, I could see a skirt and reddish hair from behind the teacher's knees. _Wait a minute…_ Lifting my head, my mouth almost fell open. Rumi was standing there, behind the teacher. _No way! She's such a midget; how are we the same age?_ As though she could here me, Rumi's eyes landed on me. Her eyes widened with joy and she called out.

"Wakasa-chan!"

I almost jumped out of my chair as every head in the room turned to me. Gritting my teeth, I scrunched my eyes in anger. _Chan? Why did she have to say the "chan"? Everyone will laugh at me, my reputation ruined._ When the eyes didn't move, I grumbled.

"Hi, Rumi."

Rumi flashed me a dazzling smile before staring up at the teacher hopefully. Fujitaka-sensei looked at her quizzically before sighing.

"Well, since you already know Ayabe-kun, you can sit next to her, Takarada-kun."

"Hai!"

Rumi bounced over to me, sitting down and giggling, as I, along with the rest of the class, sweatdropped.

* * *

I don't know how I got through the rest of that class, with Rumi raising her hand to answer every question and the stares. As the bell rang, I leapt from my seat and, grabbing my bag, raced for the door. Or…I would have, if not for the small hand around my wrist. I turned in time to be blinded by her teeth. _I don't remember the last time I saw this many smiles in one day._

"Wakasa-chan, let's walk home together."

Rumi wouldn't leave me alone. With a sigh I nodded as people looked at us again. My head started hurting and I turned to leave.

"I'll meet you in front of the gate in five minutes; then I'm going home."

Without waiting for her reply, I bolted.

Reaching my locker, I leaned against the metal, panting. Then I heard them.

"…you don't think she's…?"

I strained my ears, but they were too far to hear everything.

"How else would Ayabe…"

"…seems like a wimp, we can teach her a lesson."

I froze at the words. _What? Oh God, I can't let them catch me here. _As their footsteps got louder, I grabbed my bag and raced out of the school, completely forgetting to wait for Rumi.

* * *

I reached the gate of the kumin as my yakuza pride hit me. _What the hell! I ran from a fight?_ My hand froze an inch from gate as my shoulders slumped. A chill shot down my spine, and a lump formed in my throat. My eyes started to hurt, but I forced back the tears. I would not cry in front of the kumin.

Safe in my room, I slid down the wall onto the floor. By now the shame was gone, replaced with irritation. It quickly turned to rage as my body trembled. Scrunching my eyes, I tried to hold it back. My breath quickened to a full panting, and my fingers twitched, as though wanting to wrap around someone's neck.

I couldn't let it out. It wasn't me, the thing inside me that wanted to go back to school and beat up every one of them. I pulled my hair and banged my head against the wall, desperate to eliminate the feeling. After a while it receded, and I fell onto the sheets.

I didn't know what to do. _Dad and Mom would probably love it if I beat up those boys, but this thing inside me. It's so mean and angry._ I was scared.

* * *

The next day was the same, except I shied away from my classmates. I didn't know who had been talking about me. I put down my bag just as someone rushed up to me.

"Wakasa-chaaan where were you yesterday?"

I looked up to see Rumi pouting. _Crap! I forgot to wait for her._ Panicking, I looked everywhere except at Rumi, not knowing how to explain. _I can't tell her I ran home in fear. I would be a disgrace._ Rumi's face went blank and for a moment I thought she would cry. Tears leaked from her eyes and just as I jumped up to explain myself…

HAHAHAHAHA!

I stared, amazed. She was laughing; it rang out through the classroom and had everyone turning their heads. Her laughter continued, and I, sure that she was okay, smiled in relief. When she finally calmed down enough to talk, I noticed it. A patch of skin just below Rumi's elbow was black and blue. I stared at it, fully aware of what it was.

"Rumi…where did you get that bruise?"

Rumi flinched as I moved to grab her arm. I blinked as she slapped a smile on her face.

"It nothing, Wakasa-chan. I just fell down on the way home yesterday."

_So she's just clumsy. I guess that makes sense. _

"Well, we should get the nurse to look at that."

I grabbed her shoulder and she winced. She pushed me off holding her shoulder tenderly. Now suspicious I pulled her forward and pushed her sleeve up her arm. I released her with a gasp. There were two more black marks on her upper arm and shoulder. Rumi looked down, refusing to meet my gaze.

"Wakasa-chan, it's really nothing."

Her nearly whispered statement did nothing to convince me. I opened my mouth to protest when Fujitaka-sensei walked into the room. Still not looking at me, Rumi sat down. After a moment, I too sat. My eyes kept flickering back to Rumi, particularly back to the mark on her arm. A thought came to me and my eyes narrowed. _It couldn't be…_

* * *

And so another chapter ends. No, Wakasa does not have a split personality. That would be over the top.

Well, I hope you loved it. Please review. If anyone has any ideas or anything they want to see, let me know.

Until next time,

guardianwriter


	3. Protectors

Title: Legend of the Seisai

Genre: General/Tragedy

Rated: T (this chapter gets a little closer to M)

Character: Ayabe Wakasa

Disclaimer: Tokyo Crazy Paradise belongs to the one and only Yoshiki Nakamura. I assure you that I take no profit from this enterprise.

Author's Note: …is anyone going to pelt me with rotten vegetables…Oh what the hell! (Author runs out from behind the curtain, throwing herself to the floor of the stage.) Please forgive me. After Thanksgiving, things got so crazy that I haven't been able to think of how the start the chapter. Now I'm back home, so I'm going to do my best to update as frequently as I can. To make up for my delays I put up Chapters 3 and 4 today. I already started working on Chapter 5.

Also, this chapter has about a paragraph of violence. I'm not sure if it is still considered T rating, but since another violent incident won't happen for another while, I'm not going to change the rating yet.

Without further delay, here is chapter 3.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter 3: Protectors

It had been a week since Rumi started coming to school, and a day less since the first black mark marred her skin. I didn't know how to react then, and I was still lost. Rumi kept smiling like an idiot, not caring at the glances her increasing bruises attracted. Why would anyone keep their mouth shut when someone was hurting them? But of course, she stuck to the story of her clumsiness, and, since the first time she wanted to walk home with me, she politely declined every time I asked her.

Well, ignoring it hadn't done me much good. I was getting too attached to her. I felt the need to protect her from everything. Pretending as though it didn't matter to me was easy enough at school, but at the kumin I couldn't keep the rage off my face. My mother was greatly pleased.

"Finally, a look befitting a child of the yakuza."

Interestingly enough, I was developing a temper. The angry beast inside me got more and more restless as I saw the bruises multiply. As the days went on, Rumi and I got closer, but I could not stand her smiles. They were so fake…so full of pain. I had the urge to grab her shoulders and shake her. At the same time, I didn't want to get involved. If she didn't care then neither would I.

Fujitaka-sensei's eyes stayed on me every lunch break as though expecting me to attack, and today, he finally called me into his office.

I stood in the doorway, waiting for my fate to fall upon me. I kept my face blank, though my hands, buried in my pockets, were clenched tight. After he beckoned me in and closed the door, he leaned against the wood for a moment. Then he turned to me with a smile.

"Ayabe-kun, I have to talk to you about Takarada-kun."

My face stayed blank. I hadn't attacked anyone, so what was the problem?

"I think you should do something about the wounds she keeps getting.

I blinked, confusion filtering onto my face. _Do something…?_ But sensei went on.

"I would have thought you would protect her from the students who keep attacking her."

At this my head snapped up and I stared at him with startled eyes. Taking a deep breath to keep my voice calm I said shakily.

"I don't know what to do. All I could do is to tell her to avoid them, but she doesn't listen to me."

Fujitaka-sensei patted my head, a mournful smile on his face.

"Follow her today. You will see what I mean."

_

* * *

_

This is retarded.

Here I was, crouched behind a building, following Rumi home. _What am I? A stalker?_ But I had been shocked by sensei's words. He wanted me to protect her. Well…I would do what I could, but my help might cause them to increase their bullying on her. Teachers didn't understand that…that being rescued causes more anger in your enemies. Staying out of it would be the best thing I could do to protect her.

I stayed silent as a cat, keeping to the shadows and leaving a considerable distance between us. Perhaps the only problem was that I wasn't paying attention to where we were going. Only after she stopped to tie her shoelaces did I realize that we were on the opposite end of town from her house. Warning lights were sounding in my head, and I hid in an ally, making sure I could watch. We were deep in katagi(1) territory now, but even they had abandoned this place when an earthquake had razed the buildings. Rubble littered the ground and half fallen buildings were the tallest things in sight. Out of the debris four people appeared. I could barely see them as the sun shone behind them; then one spoke.

"So you came again. Still won't tell us how to get to Ayabe?"

I recognized the voice; it was one of the people who had been whispering about me the day Rumi came to the school. Why were they talking about me again? As I fit the pieces together, Rumi spoke.

"I won't tell you. Wakasa-chan is my best friend."

"Then prepare to face punishment, you yakuza brat."

With a mental click everything suddenly made sense. I slid down the wall to the floor. _What? They want to get to me through her?_ I could hear the beatings and hysterical shouts of myclassmates, but why wasn't Rumi making a sound? Peaking from around the corner, I felt my stomach heave. They were on her with cement bricks. Rumi tossed and turned, but never did she make a sound. Then her head cracked against the floor, and she lay perfectly still. The others stood around her sneering and snickering. Between their legs I could see Rumi's face as blood trickled from her mouth. My heart jerked in my chest and began speeding up. I couldn't keep my eyes off her as my breath quickened to panting. Rumi's face was suddenly Tomoyo's, still and cold. _So…all this time she's been protecting me?_

I snapped.

A scream erupted from me as I stepped into the open. The others turned to me in shock but it was too late. I raced towards them, grabbing a metal pole, before slamming into the boy closest to me, the one who had spoken. His head snapped back with a sickening crack and he flopped to the ground. The rest backed up, fear pervading their postures. One dropped her brick, and I turned on her. Her eyes widened and her fingers shook, but I didn't register the fear. My vision was red and my hands longed to beat them all into the ground. With a growl, I launched my body at her, landing on her back as she attempted to run. My pole descended on her and she fell forward into the dust, but that didn't stop me. My pole kept coming up and down as her screams filled the air. It satisfied the animal instinct within me; they had hurt Rumi. Now they would pay. Her head was bleeding and I raised the pole for the final strike when a warm hand fell on my shoulder. Frozen, I felt someone pry the metal from my hands before arms wrapped around me from behind. Looking over my shoulder, I saw ginger hair against my shirt.

Her head rose, and she lifted me up. Then we walked slowly away from the fallen figures. The others must have run for they were nowhere in sight. Rumi leaned against me, and my arm was wrapped around her shoulders. When we had got a safe distance, my knees gave way and I dropped to the concrete. My hair pooled around my face and I stared at the floor. Rumi sat down next to me, wincing as she moved. I pulled my hair from my face and looked at her. Her right eye was surrounded by a black ring and her forehead was covered in a layer of dried blood. Her smile was painted crimson and trembled with the effort. Unable to meet her eyes, my gaze dropped to her hands and ankles, both of which were scraped and bloodied. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I pulled her to me, needing to know that she was okay.

"It's okay, Wakasa-chan."

My eyes widened, and I quickly shoved her back.

"What's okay? Look at you! What have you been doing? Protecting me? I didn't ask for it! You're not supposed to get hurt this way. Don't protect me! I don't want it!"

Rumi's smile stayed upon her lips but after a moment it dissolved and tears ran down her cheeks. Soon we were both wrapped in each other's embrace, crying with abandon to the forsaken sky.

* * *

(1) Katagi: people who are in the Yakuza, common people

I'm not sure how well the transition from Wakasa's reluctance to her jumping into the fray went. Comments are welcome.

Oh! And if I delay updates again, screaming messages are perfectly fine. That will help me get back on track.

See you next time,

guardianwriter


	4. Daughters

Title: Legend of the Seisai

Genre: General/Tragedy

Rated: T

Character: Ayabe Wakasa

Disclaimer: Tokyo Crazy Paradise belongs to the one and only Yoshiki Nakamura. I assure you that I take no profit from this enterprise.

* * *

Chapter 4: Daughters

Rumi and I went our separate ways after a good hour of crying had left us both exhausted. I staggered to the gate of the kumin and collapsed just as I opened it. One of the men shouted for help and a group of them surrounded me. My breathing was heavy as I hugged the pole to my body.

"Hey…what do we do?"

"Someone should get the Boss."

"He's already on his way…but shouldn't we get the pole away from her."

"What the hell did she go through for this to have happened?"

"Everybody stand back!"

My eyes widened slightly. It was my mother's voice, but there was something strange about it. The men cleared a path and my mother rushed to my side.

"Wakasa-chan! I got you. Someone call the doctor."

She scooped me up and I could feel her body shaking. Squinting upward, I could see tears in her eyes. _Mother…?_ Suddenly the strain on my body was too much and I fainted into the welcoming darkness.

* * *

I awoke to the sound of my father's lighter. With a groan, I attempted to lift my body. Immediately my father dropped his lighter.

"Wakasa, don't move!"

My back flopped onto the mat, and I clenched my teeth against the pain. Breathing carefully, I turned to face my parents, both of whom looked…worried? I opened my mouth and managed to croak.

"Hi…"

Both my parents exhaled sharply, relief on their faces. That's when my stomach decided to be embarrassing. The rumble was quite evident in the silent room. I could feel my face flaming as I ducked beneath the covers. My mother chuckled and rose.

"It's way past dinnertime, Wakasa-chan. I'll get you something to eat."

With that she left.

After a moment, my father spoke.

"Wakasa…don't you think you should let go of the pole now?"

I flinched in surprise. It was still snuggled under my chin. Sheepishly, I released it and placed it before my father. Blood and dust had dried onto its surface. My father said nothing as he studied the pole, shifting his gaze between it and me. Then my mother returned with a warm broth. She put it down and moved to help me sit up when my father spoke.

"Takarada-san called to say that Rumi has a significant number of wounds."

I froze, staring into my father's eyes. _He doesn't think I did it…does he?_

"Wakasa, I need to know what happened."

"Darling, she just woke up; let her eat, at least!"

"Sayaka, she doesn't even have a scratch on her, and she was covered in someone else's blood. I need to be sure of what happened!"

"Mother, Father?"

The argument ceased as both of them turned to me.

"I…I hurt Rumi…"

My father was about to cut me off, but my mother stopped him. I started from the beginning, barely taking a breath for fear that I would be unable to start the tale again. My body was shaking and my heartbeat was pounding in my ears. Every bit of pain and frustration poured out until I came to today. Suddenly my hands were still; my mind was unbelievably calm as I dictated how I snapped. How my soul had called for more and more blood….

I finished, leaving my parents stunned. It was forbidden to attack the katagi, lest the police get called to investigate the kumin. We were already treading on thin ice with the police. An incident like this could incite a war between the Hougogumi and the police department. I fidgeted, not sure of what to do when I felt a hand smooth over my hair. Father's face was blank.

"We'll talk about this in the morning. Eat if you're hungry and sleep."

With that he rose and left. My mother pulled my into a warm hug.

"I've...I haven't been thinking about your best interests, Wakasa."

I froze, not knowing where this was coming from.

"I didn't realize how much you could get hurt. I don't care anymore about the seisai. Just live your best, and I'll be happy."

With that, she followed my father out of the room.

I fell back against the pillow; I had no appetite. I curled up under the sheets, trying to shut out the sounds of the girl's screams as I struck her again…and again…and again.

* * *

The next morning father was not at breakfast.

Mother set out the food as though everything was normal, but her eyes kept darting to the doors, as if expecting to see the police march in and arrest us all. My eyes stayed solidly on my plate as I wolfed down my food. After a sleepless night, I had decided. If the police came, I would turn myself in, rather than allow the kumin to be stained. _I won't let mother and father get in trouble._

I was so focused that I didn't notice my father return. He sat in front of me as I took each bite with furious deliberation. I would enjoy my last meal. I heard him sigh and started.

"Fa-Father!"

He smiled down at me, sorrow in his eyes. I lowered my head and held my hands out to him.

"Father, take me to the police. I will go, but don't let them get to the kumin."

A crash came from the corner. My mother had dropped a steel plate and was staring at me incredulously. Unsure of the expression, I turned to my father and blinked. The sorrow was draining from his face, leaving shock and stark pride in its place.

"There's nothing to worry about, Wakasa. I have made sure that no one will bother the kumin."

I blinked again. _But…I almost killed that girl._

"It's rather hard for police to believe that a six year old can cause that much damage. They did not believe the story. Now I'm more interested in the fact that you tried to protect Rumi. Takarada-san says Rumi owes you her life. We are proud of both of you."

Head shooting up, I protested.

"She was protecting me, and two of those jerks got away. In the end, I couldn't do anything-"

"You tried to help her when the odds were stacked against you. As for your ability, I think it is time to start training you in combat."

I stared, not comprehending the situation as my father continued.

"If you want to protect Rumi, the best thing is to hone your abilities and learn control. You should have a presence that commands respect, and a will that can withstand all opposition."

I didn't understand much of it, but if it would help me protect Rumi then I was all for it. I looked my father in the eye, matching his determination with mine.

"I will do it."

* * *

Well, that's it for now. I'm probably going to only have another chapter or two of Wakasa at six years old. Then I'm doing a time skip.

Until next time,

guardianwriter


	5. Partners

Title: Legend of the Seisai

Genre: General/Tragedy

Rated: T

Character: Ayabe Wakasa

Disclaimer: Tokyo Crazy Paradise belongs to the one and only Yoshiki Nakamura. I assure you that I take no profit from this enterprise.

* * *

Chapter 5: Partners

I slammed into the wall of the dojo and slumped there for a moment, catching my breath. Feeling a presense, I leapt aside, barely missing the fist that collided with the wall. I jumped to my feet and turned to face the older man. He was not tall, but he was built enough to intimidate the most fearless individuals.

Eyes narrowed, I shifted from left to right, not sure of how to approach him for my next attack. My mentor lowered his stance, not sure what I was doing. That was it. I seized the opportunity and launched myself at him, beating incessantly into his stomach. Day in and day out, but I still could not find the pit of the stomach. I pounded away even as I felt his hand grab the scruff of my neck and heave me up.

I pulled back, thinking quickly, as I rose off the floor. _Any second now…NOW!_ I had just become level with Azuma-sensei's face, and, without another thought, I wound back and released my fist, landing a blow straight on his nose. With a cry he dropped me, and I wasted no time getting back to his stomach. This time my aim was true and Azuma-sensei doubled over. I stepped back as he fell to the dojo floor.

We both panted heavily for a while before Azuma-sensei pulled his head up. Alert I got back into position. I wouldn't let him catch me off guard, but sensei just smiled and seated himself, cross-legged, on the dojo floor. I took my seat in front of him, holding my head high.

The Azuma's were one of the families under my father's care, but they didn't live at the kumin with us. Azuma-sensei was one of my dad's closest friends; so naturally, Father had only let me come to him for training. He had a son who was two years younger than me, but I hadn't met him yet. Azuma-sensei looked at the clock.

"Look at the time, Rumi-chan will be going home soon. We'll end our session here."

"Thank you, sensei."

I jumped up to dash out the door when sensei spoke.

"Well, you seemed to have mastered basic self-defense. We'll get started on karate next time."

I froze. Azuma-sensei was smiling even more widely.

"I've never had a student who flew through training as quickly as you, Wakasa-chan. I'm looking forward to how far you progress from here on."

My mind threw a party at the prospect of moving on to the "real stuff" as my father called it. I thanked him again and, hearing his dismissal, raced outside, almost running into Rumi.

"Wakasa-chan!"

"Rumi, how did training go?"

Rumi fidgeted before pulling a knife from her sleeve.

"Sensei let me hang on to this; he said I should practice as much I can."

I smiled. Rumi was not one to fight if she could help it, but we both knew the value of combat skills in our world. Tightening her grip on the hilt of the blade, Rumi asked.

"Do you want to practice again?"

"Right now?"

Rumi nodded and gasped as I grabbed her hand and raced off. I laughed, enjoying the wind blowing through my hair and letting the full weight of my accomplishment fall on me. I had only been training for three months, but I was already moving past self-defense. Pretty soon I'd be able to protect lots of people. Rumi caught up with me and we ran side by side. I watched her. _No…she's the only one who matters. If I only manage to protect her I'll be happy._

We reached my home and went inside. The kumin noticed us and rushed over, forming a circle around us. This had become something of a ritual. Rumi and I would spar after every class in front of the kumin.

Now we stood several feet from each other. I narrowed my eyes as I waited for the moment when we would begin. Rumi's hand twitch and I flew at her. With lightning speed she revealed the knife and slashed at me. The blade missed by millimeters as I jumped back. We both stopped again. Rumi, as a rule, never moved against anyone, so all the assault always came from me. It never bothered us. Self-defense was all Rumi was really interested in anyway. Though she lacked hand-to-hand training, Rumi had deadly skill with weapons, particularly knives. _I have to avoid the blade. But it's best for short range use, and my combat skills only work for short range. _I bit my lip, watching Rumi hold the knife between us in warning.

Around us, the kumin was cheering. They always found the spars very entertaining. It had been a huge boost to the kumin when the boss's daughter had overcome her fear of blood. Now they all kept a close eye on me, eager to see me improve. Some of the older members had even burst into tears when I came back from my first lesson with Azuma-sensei.

When a particularly loud cheer sounded, I dashed back into action. Rumi was ready for me. She held her blade steady, making sure to only use the side of the blade to parry my fists. We continued in that pattern for a short time, with me jumping back and jumping in until Rumi started panting. One of the kumin went over to her, looking at his watch.

"It's been five minutes."

Our spars were never long. Though Rumi was skilled, her body was weak. That much had been obvious from the day I met her. It was actually the reason she had not been named a seisai candidate. Rumi had weak lungs, and practically no stamina. It was an achievement that she could defend herself to any extent. The kumin had already dispersed and I walked over to her as she leaned against the wall. She was catching her breath, but her smile never left her face. _For Rumi, even doing this much is amazing._ I smiled back, loving to see her happy.

By the time she stopped panting, a man had come to pick up Rumi. Takarada-san had come in person the first couple of times, until my father shooed him away, telling him to send one of his kumin instead. Indeed, two minor heads meeting every afternoon would alarm the kumicho, especially since both of their daughters were not seisai candidates.

Rumi turned to leave, but I stepped in front of her.

"Rumi, I finished my self-defense training."

Rumi looked startled but laughed.

"Wow Wakasa-chan, that was fast. What are you going to do now?"

"Karate. I also want to learn judo and aikido."

Rumi smiled up at me. I looked at her for a moment before I spoke.

"Rumi…next time, it'll be my turn."

"Huh?"

"Next time, I'll protect you, and I'll protect you every time after that."

I took her hand in mine and squeezed.

"Always and forever. I promise."

Eyes wide, Rumi stood still for a while before she threw her arms around me. I put my arms around her shoulders and smiled. _I can do this, Rumi. The reason I move so quickly through training is because I want to protect you. _

"Thank you, Wakasa-chan. I'll always be here for you too."

* * *

So, what did you think? This is my last chapter with Wakasa at the age of six. Next time she'll be ten, but I'm having trouble with how to start the chapter, so it might not be out for a while.

Anyway, this wasn't a terribly exciting chapter, but I needed to wrap up the solid foundation that made the idea of the kage no seisai work in the Hougogumi.

Until next time,

guardianwriter


	6. Acquaintances

Title: Legend of the Seisai

Genre: General/Tragedy

Rated: T

Character: Ayabe Wakasa

Disclaimer: Tokyo Crazy Paradise belongs to the one and only Yoshiki Nakamura. I assure you that I take no profit from this enterprise.

Finally, we're past the age of six. Wakasa and Rumi are now ten years old.

Enjoy

* * *

Chapter 6: Acquaintances

Rumi giggled as they passed a pool full of children playing. I smiled to myself, looking out the opposite window, but could do no more. It was the summer of my tenth year, and it was scorching hot. I wanted to be in that pool with the children, instead we were on the road. _Honestly, the road is probably the hottest place…endless black tar and not a shadow for shelter…_ I threw my head back against the seat, pulling my hair away from my neck. It had grown down to my midback, and despite the current trend, I chose not to cut it short.

The two men in the front seats chuckled, and the driver spoke.

"We're almost there, Wakasa. Try to be a little patient."

I scowled at the back of my father's head.

"I have been patient. This ride has been two hours already. Why do me and Rumi have to come along anyway?"

Takarada-san looked over his shoulder, sharing a smile with his daughter.

"Mikaido-kumicho is interested in meeting you two girls. He has also requested the presence of both Ayabe-san and me."

I huffed and, folding my arms, lapsed into silence. Rumi laughed at my frustration, and I marveled at how well she was taking the heat. The car started to slow and both of us popped up, craning to see what was in the front. The gates of the main branch loomed ahead and they opened to admit us. _It's so big!_ A huge mansion stood before them, towering high and wide. I got out of the car and Rumi scrambled out after me, keeping close to me. I smiled at her. We were both nervous, so at lest I had to reassure her. _There is no reason to invite the two of us to the main branch…What is the kumicho scheming?_

* * *

Father patted my head and flashed me a grin before entering the room. The doors closed behind our fathers, and Rumi and I were left to our own devices. Someone was supposed to come and escort us. I wasn't really paying attention when the kumicho was talking, so I didn't know why. I didn't really care, but Rumi kept wrinkling her shirt in her hands. I raised a brow at her. _Why did she wear those clothes anyway?_ There was nothing abnormal about seeing Rumi in dresses, but was it appropriate when the kumin was involved? I restrained myself from asking and looked down the hall on our right.

"Hey…why don't we explore by ourselves?"

Rumi turned to me, startled by the question. I looked her straight in the eye and a smile spread over my face. With a dash I was halfway down the hall.

"Come on! I bet you can't catch me!"

"Wakasa-chan…we should wait for our escort-"

I put my hands on my hips and smirked, booming back sarcastically.

"Please…I'll be fine on my own. You can wait if you want, see ya!"

With that I skipped down the hall. Rumi wouldn't budge, but I didn't hold that against her. She always followed the rules exactly, as though it would excuse her lack of fighting endurance. She had changed me, since we became friends. I wasn't afraid of fighting anymore, and I had much more confidence in myself. It was quite the change from my days of self-loathing.

I bounded down the halls, pushing my reminiscing out of my head. The house was so large inside. I sprinted through doorways and up stairs. It was kind of strange that I didn't run into anyone, but I didn't care. I picked up speed as I turned a corner and promptly smacked into a wall. I fell on my bottom in a daze with my head spinning.

"What are you doing here?"

As my vision focused, I saw a head looming over me. It was a boy of about my age with straight blonde hair and hazel eyes. I shot up and straightened myself, feeling his confused gaze on me. _Wow, now I'm embarrassed._

"Umm…I was just exploring…"

The boy looked unimpressed and I laughed unconvincingly. With a sigh, he pulled me into a room. It was only then that I realized I had not slammed into a wall, but into a door. The room was big, but the lack of furniture made it seem even larger. There was a bed, a closet, and a desk. Other than that and the few toys on the floor, the room was empty.

I was dragged to the bed and forced to sit on it. Then the boy stood in front of me.

"Are you hurt?"

I blinked at him. He scrutinized me with worried eyes, even as he tried to keep the emotion off his face. I shook my head.

"No way! It'll take a lot more than that to hurt me."

A hint of a smile touched the corners of his mouth, but he forced it down.

"So, who are you? I haven't seen you before."

I jumped up, stretching out my hand.

"I'm Ayabe Wakasa. Who are you?"

The boy looked at my hand in shock before looking back at my face. With a pained expression he took my hand.

"I'm Mikaido Shiva."

* * *

"Like…the kumicho's son? Cool!"

_Huh? No one mentions father. They always compare me to aniki._ There was definitely something strange about this girl. I had expected her to get excited over aniki, not me being otou-san's son…

"Yeah, I'm his son, but you've probably heard of my older brother."

"Older brother? Wow, I'm an only child. What's it like to have a sibling?"

Was there something wrong with this girl? How could there be someone in the kumin who did not know about my older brother. Then again, I hadn't heard of her either, so it was likely that she wasn't one of the girls competing to be Sou's bride. I felt a smile break through my façade and I shook her hand.

"It's okay. I'm just surprised you don't know about Sou-aniki."

The girl pouted.

"It's not like that's a crime is it? If it's really a problem, you can introduce me to him."

A spark shot up my spine, leaving a burning feeling in my stomach. I didn't want her to meet Sou. I didn't want her to favor him over me as everyone did. Her face turned to one of confusion, and I realized I was frowning.

"Sorry, it's just…not many people hang out with me. They're only interested in aniki-"

I flinched as she bopped me on the head and ruffled my hair.

"That's silly. I here now, right? I'll be you friend."

Now I felt insulted. Why was she ruffling my hair? She couldn't be any older than me. I opened my mouth to protest the motion, when the door swung open. We both turned and a big man stepped inside.

"So this is where you ran off to. Come along. You are going to meet Sou-sama."

I stared at the kumin member as the pieces fit together. She was probably a new seisai candidate. Just the thought of it had me gritting my teeth.

"Do I need to go? I want to play with Mikaido-kun."

Had she really just said that? I looked up to see her with her arms folded and feet planted firmly. This girl didn't want to see Sou? She would rather stay with me? After a few seconds of silence she turned to me.

"Who is he anyway?"

I almost lost my footing. She would hold herself like that in front of a random stranger? She must have a lot of confidence in her self.

"That's Kuroki-san. He takes care of my brother."

"Oh!"

She went back to glaring at him until he sighed.

"Ayabe-kun, we don't have time for this. You're father's meeting with the kumicho will be over soon, and you'll have to leave. You should take the opportunity to meet Sou-sama. You're friend is already there."

At that, she lost her fierce stance.

"Well, if Rumi is there, I'll go."

She turned to me with a sorry smile.

"Sorry, Mikaido-kun. But I'll definitely see you later. Okay?"

She wanted to see me again? And she was only going to aniki because her friend was there? I found myself smiling in spite of myself.

"Call me Shiva. Mikaido-kun makes me think of my brother."

"Okay, Shiva-kun! And you have to call me Wakasa cause we're friends now."

With that she gave me a dazzling smile and followed Kuroki-san out of my room. Her words left me speechless. No one had ever bothered to get to know me just because of me. I felt my cheeks heat up as I thought about the smile she had shown me. _Wakasa…_

* * *

So, what did you think? I wanted to have a cute meeting for Wakasa and Shiva. I hope I did okay. Sou will be showing up in the next chapter, which I will finish as soon as I can.

Until next time,

guardianwriter


	7. Admirers

Title: Legend of the Seisai

Genre: General/Tragedy

Rated: T

Character: Ayabe Wakasa

Disclaimer: Tokyo Crazy Paradise does not belong to me, but this story does.

Author's Note: It was amazing, in a few days I got so many reviews. Anyway, here is the next chapter. Please forgive me for the lateness. Unfortunately, it looks like this'll be a trend, and this summer I'm taking classes. I'll try much harder to update sooner.

Enjoy

* * *

Chapter 7: Admirers

I had to skip to keep up with Kuroki-san's long strides. We had been walking for some time now. _It feels like we're going to the other end of the mansion._ Kuroki-san hadn't said a word since we had left Shiva-kun's room, but I was itching to ask questions, and true to myself they stumbled out. "So…does the Kumicho have any other kids?"

Kuroki-san kept his eyes forward as he answered. "No, Nidaime only has two sons, Sou-sama and Shiva-kun who you have already met."

_Sou-sama, why does this guy call a kid with "sama"?_ I giggled, imagining a boy who looked like Shiva-kun lording over the giant Kuroki-san.

"What did Shiva-kun mean about everyone knowing about his brother?"

This time Kuroki-san did look down, with a raised brow. After a moment, he sighed. "I suppose it's not as important for you since you are not a seisai candidate, but most people do know about Sou-sama. After all, he is going to be the Sandaime."

This made me frown. _I don't know about this "Sou-sama," but why does Kuroki-san have to bring up that I'm not a seisai candidate?_

"We're here."

I snapped out of my brooding at Kuroki-san's voice. He opened the door and we both stepped inside.

The room was humungous! I had thought Shiva-kun's room was big, but this place was…well, my room and my parent's room along with Rumi's and her parents' room could fit in here. The walls were covered with posters of motorcycles and cars. There was a television, stereo, and every game consol I could imagine. It was more than I could have dreamed of. I was probably drooling as I looked around, but I didn't particularly care. I heard a giggle and snapped out of it, focusing on the center of the room. Rumi was there, laughing behind a hand, as she watched me. I smiled and ran over to her. Then the other figure rose, and I froze.

He kinda looked like Shiva-kun, with the fair hair and face shape. I examined the boy; he was older than me, probably by a few years and held himself like my father. It was eerie, just as it was fascinating. His eyes narrowed slightly, and I noted their brown color. Shiva-kun's eyes were prettier, I decided. I extended a hand and smiled. "I'm Ayabe Wakasa. Nice to meet you, Mikaido-san."

The boy stared at my hand for a moment before sitting back down. I frowned at his rudeness when he spoke. "You should take better care of your friend."

I glanced at Rumi in confusion before doing a double take. The girl's cheeks were bright pink and she was smiling shyly. I had never seen her this way, but from the direction of her eyes, it was obvious the Kumicho's older son was the cause.

"I take very good care of Rumi, thank you." I couldn't keep the growl out of my voice. Was he implying I couldn't take care of my best friend? Who did he think he was? My anger was wasted as the boy didn't give me the chance to snap. Mikaido-san shrugged his shoulders and went back to looking at the board between him and Rumi.

I sat down next to Rumi as Mikaido-san moved a knight to take down a pawn. I stared at the board. Rumi and I played board games frequently, but not chess. I could play, but was too serious for my liking.

"Wow, you know how to play chess?"

Well, at least I was honest with my words. Mikaido-san frowned in irritation before answering. "Chess is all about complex strategy and it trains the mind. I'll need a sharp mind to lead the kumin."

Damn! Even his words were adult-like. I was about to respond sarcastically when Rumi grabbed the back on my shirt. I turned to see her observing the board in confusion. Rumi also only had the basic knowledge of the game. I smiled at her comfortingly and looked at the board. A move jumped out at me and I had to hold in a gasp. But it was so easy, how could Mikaido-san have missed it?

I smirked. So I wouldn't have to yell at him. I could get my revenge this way. Boldly, I grabbed the bishop and killed his queen. There, his king was wide open. "Check!"

Mikaido-san was no fazed and moved his castle across the board, directly into the spot the bishop had been in. "Check mate."

"What?" How? The shock clicked into realization. The queen was a trap. After all, what amateur could resist the queen? I looked up to see a light smile flash over his features. It wasn't spiteful, but understanding. He knew the difference in our abilities well. If nothing else, this defeat was supposed to teach me something. We bowed to each other, acknowledging a game well played.

*****

Rumi and I hurried over to our fathers. The day had passed rather quickly after the chess game with the three of us learning to play Mikaido-san's many games. Father smiled down at me. "I heard one naughty girl went exploring without permission."

I felt my cheeks heat up, but I didn't apologize. So what if I hadn't waited. I got to meet Shiva-kun. That made the trouble worth it. I looked back to the mansion, wondering which of the many windows was his. Well, the next time I can, I would definitely see him again. I smiled, remembering his hazel eyes and kind words.

"Wakasa-chan, did you like Sou-san?"  
I turned to Rumi, baffled by the question. "No! That guy is rude and acts superior and…"

I ranted for a good minute before calming down. Yeah, my first impression of Mikaido Sou was that he was a jerk, but he had surprised me with his maturity. Besides Rumi seemed to like…

"Wait a minute. Sou-san? Since when did you get so familiar with him?"

Rumi pulled me away from the dads as her voice dropped to a whisper. "Actually, a little while after you left, a couple of boys showed up and started laughing at my dress."

What? I fisted my hands, suddenly ready to beat up those boys, but I resolved to listen silently until the end.

"Sou-san appeared and chased them off, saying they were being stupid to tease a pretty girl."

So that was why Mikaido-san had commented on my inability to look after Rumi. I felt annoyance build up in my stomach. I shouldn't have left Rumi alone. Well, now I knew better. "So, he was nice to you, huh?"

Rumi turned red and I felt my jaw drop. I recognized that look. She was blushing like the stupid girl's in our class whenever they saw the popular boys. My best friend had a crush on a boy, and not just any boy. "Rumi, Mikaido-san is the kumicho's son!"

Takarada-san laughed and scooped up his daughter. Obviously our fathers had heard everything. "Well, it never hurts to be ambitious."

My father joined in the laugh and Rumi hid her face in her dad's shoulder. Even her ears were red now. I shook my head and walked ahead of them to the car. This "Sou-san" was suddenly more trouble than he was worth. Hopefully, Rumi would get over her little crush soon.

* * *

I hope it was okay. It was shorter than chapter 6, but I didn't want Wakasa's meeting with Sou to be as meaningful as the one with Shiva. I personally think Mikaido Sou is the scum of the Earth for sleeping with Wakasa, but since Wakasa respected him enough to become his Kage no Seisai, I figured he's got to be an okay guy.

Unfortunately we didn't get to see Shiva in this chapter, but he might appear in the next one. (I'm crossing my fingers too ^-^)

Thanks for the comments on vocabulary. I realize Wakasa's vocab in the previous chapters is a little…not child-like. I'm going to leave it for now. When I get time, I'll reedit the chapters. If anyone wants to help, please let me know. I'm really no good with writing child perspectives.

I have been asked in a review about a possible yuri relationship between Rumi and Wakasa. Unfortunately I have no confidence in writing shojo ai, and I don't see the relationship between the Seisais that way. I can see where you're coming from with Rumi and Wakasa, but I'm reserving Wakasa's love for Shiva. Of course, she is very close to Rumi also…it's hard to explain, but I'll make sure to clear that up as the chapters go by. It is possible to value friendship over love which is kinda what is going to happen.

I realized before writing this chapter the huge number of people I have to pull into the story because they saw Wakasa in the TCP world. Basically, I see Wakasa as an outgoing person who is not particular about who she hangs out with and is very open minded. (If she wasn't that way, she would have never become friends with the Kozuki's.)

For the most part, I believe Wakasa was a lot like Tsukasa and find it extremely sad that her daughter knows nothing about Wakasa. I want to show sides to Wakasa that didn't completely come out in TCP. (Most of what I have to work with is the flashbacks a few of the characters have of her.)

Until next time,

guardianwriter


	8. Hiatus

Hey guys,

...There isn't a way I can apologize for making you all wait for two years, but I am very sorry. I've been having a hard time with school and home and stuff, but that's not the reason I haven't updated.

To put it bluntly, I had started this fic with a plan for the romance and nothing else. Considering the part I liked best about TCP was the action, I found myself with quite a bit of a block. I don't know much about the Yakuza and how they work and I'm only just starting to formulate a real actiony plot. I also want to rewrite the chapters I already put up. I'm just not happy with my level of writing at the moment.

Anyway, that's all I've got for you guys so please stick with me. I realize checking all the time is irritating so maybe just add this fic to your story alerts. Hopefully, I'll have another chapter up in a few months and I can really get the story going since Wakasa and the rest are quickly growing up.

Sincerely (and with much apologies)

Guardian Writer

Oh! and of course, If you guys have any ideas about what you want to appear in the story or if you just want to yell at me for being a slow idiot. Please review. I really am stuck for how to make this story enjoyable for all of you.


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